Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-11-17
TYPOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
GEORGE ENGEL,


George Engel came to our country sew.
eral years before the anarchist trouble IN
Chicago, having previously led u law
abiding life. The many petitions and
letters which have been circulated In his
cause by his immediate friends and ac-
quaintanCes give evidence that the man
humanity. That the plea of lcniency on
the ground of ignorance, which was urg.
ed on many sides, does not mitigate the
sentence which proclaimed that George
Engel with three of mis- confcderates
should expiatc by hanging, the crimes
which they committed, Is very. evident.
Tho defense in the caseo Of George Engel,
as with the rest of the condemned men,
has been that as he Is foreignar he can
not be fully aware of the laws and regu.
lations of this country. Socialisuc tend.
encies, perhaps, innoculated and fostered
in Germany, grew with these men until a
spirit Of anarchistic frenzy became the
climax, which fired the minds until the
deeds were unconsciously perpetrated
ADoLPu FISCHER.
Adolph Fischer, one Of the condemned
men, is described as very tall man with
faded blonde hair, and a broad and ex-
pansive forehead, giving one slight in
timation of an ambitious scholar. Fischer
before his trial and imprisonment for
having been au active accessory in the
whole plan and conspiracy Of throwing
the bomb which killed the Chicago OIL.
cials, has been connected and has worked
as compositor on the socialistic organ OF
the anarchists, termed the "Arbeiter-
Zeituug," for successive period Of five
years. He is married man and has u
family depending on him for their living.
The evidence against Fischer proved that
II he was not the chief agitator, he was
the willing accomplish in tho plot to
slaughter.
AUGUST SPIES.
August Spies was born at Cassel Ger
many, and is about thirty-three years Of
age. He went TO Chicago when he was
seventeen, and learned the trade of saddle
making, but threw up this occupation
after two years and went on a tramp
throughout the west and south, In 1915
he returned to Chicago, where the social
istic party was very strong at that time.
He became q convert to their ideas, and
soon was among the leaders As an agi'
tator it was easy for him to obtain en-
ployment in the Office of the daily organ
of the socialists. While working for
the paper he began TO study the scientific
side Of socialism aud otherwise improve
his education One year later he was
business manager of the paper, and In
1878 he obtained the editorial control.
When Johann Most went to Chicago the
first time he found in Spies willing
follower. Spies gradually changed the
politics and the tone Of the paper until
1t became the mouth.piece Of dynamlters
and the most dangerous classes. Later
he published newspapers both In German
and English.
ALFRED II. PARSONS.
Alfred r. Parsons, the only American
of the seven, Is native Of Massachusetts
and about 40 years of age. lie is pro-
fcssional agitator and as such is known
In PENNSYLVANIA as well as in Illinois. In
December 1885, he made his appearance
In Pittsburg, where he found an uncon-
jenial field, and speedily returned TO
Chicago. Later strike among the Hun
garians of Pennsylvania taking place he
returned to that State and, It Is alleged,
is responsible for the riots and destruction
OF valuable property which cnsued. He
Is also known to have taken part In other
dangerous agitations. In 1884 he was
engaged rs compostor on the Dallas
He aftcrward left Dallas
and went to Waco, where he started a
Republican paper which soon collapsed.
For some time he was a scout" in Texas,
where he had the reputation Of dead
shot